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Printing Instructions

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the

Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Alliance

December 15, 2008

Alliance Background

Date Signed

November 10, 2006

Evaluation Period

November 10, 2007 – November 9, 2008

Overview

The OSHA and TCIA Alliance focuses on providing TCIA's members and others in the tree care industry, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect employees' health and safety. In particular, the Alliance will focus on reducing and preventing exposure to safety and health issues related to tree removal and electrical, falls, and struck-by hazards.

Implementation Team Members

OSHA

Barney Lawrence Tony Mapes** Rob Swick* Elizabeth (Bea) Way	Office of Outreach Services and Alliance (OOSA) OOSA OOSA OOSA

TCIA

Peter Gerstenberger Cynthia Mills	Vice President, Safety and Compliance Standards President and CEO

* Rob Swick served as the Alliance Coordinator until January 22, 2008.
** Tony Mapes had served as the Alliance Coordinator since January 22, 2008.

Implementation Team Meetings

January 24, 2008
May 14, 2008
September 10, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting
Implementation Team Meeting
Implementation Team Meeting

In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.

Results

Events and Products

Outreach and Communication Goals
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and TCIA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
- Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or TCIA's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as TCI EXPO, Certified Treecare Safety Professional Workshops, Career Days, and the Winter Management Conference.
- Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding TCIA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by TCIA and through OSHA- or TCIA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
- Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on tree care industry hazards that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
  
  The OSHA and TCIA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
- Encourage TCIA's members to build relationships with OSHA Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues.
National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals
- Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
  
  "Tree Care Industry Association Alliance Member – Kappen Tree Service – Receives Safety Award for 16 Years Without a Lost-Time Accident," Success Story, June 2008
  
  The OSHA and TCIA Alliance Implementation team developed a success story entitled, "Tree Care Industry Association Alliance Member – Kappen Tree Service – Receives Safety Award for 16 Years Without a Lost-Time Accident." The success story details Kappen Tree Service receiving the Consultation Education and Training (CET) Gold Award from Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for an outstanding safety and health record. The CET Gold Award recognizes an organizations safety and health achievement of 100,000 – 2,000,000 continuous hours worked without days away from work. Kappen Tree Service employees have worked more than 16 years without a lost-time accident.
- Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on tree care industry issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
  
  2008 Drug-Free Work Week, October 20-26, 2008
  
  TCIA joined with a number of other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 Drug-Free Work Week. Drug-Free Work Week is sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program, the Week focuses on educating employers, employees, and the public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace.
  
  2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2008, Washington, DC.
  
  On May 5, 2008, Donald G. Shalhoub, Deputy Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA, spoke to OSHA staff, Alliance Program participants and other safety and health professionals during the 2008 NAOSH Week kick-off event at DOL in Washington, D.C. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. William O'Connell, Director, Government Affairs, NSC, attended the event and represented NSC, which, along with a number of other Alliance Program participants, supported the Week. The theme for the 2008 NAOSH Week was "Safety is Good Business."
  
  In support of the Week, TCIA emailed the link to the 2008 NAOSH Week Web page on ASSE's Web site to the associations' member companies.
Executive Summary

Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and TCIA are working together to reduce and prevent exposure to safety and health issues related to tree removal and electrical, fall, and struck-by hazards. The positive relationship that TCIA has developed over the two years has led to the development of the many programs and projects that the team is currently working on or has produced.

For example, through the Alliance, TCIA developed the following fact sheet and quick cards:
- Fact Sheet: Lyme Disease
- Quick Card: Chipper Winches
- Quick Card: Hydraulic Dump Body Safety Tips
- Quick Card: Lyme Disease
The fact sheet and quick cards are a valuable resource to educate the public and increase awareness of the hazards in the tree care industry. In addition, TCIA invited OSHA staff to attend the Crane and Chipper Safety for Arborists Workshop, sponsored by the MDOL, Altec Industries, Maine Arborist Association, Quality Crane Services, and Yale Cordage on May 23, 2008, in Fairfield, Maine.

As part of their outreach efforts, TCIA also worked with OSHA to develop a success story entitled "Tree Care Industry Association Alliance Member – Kappen Tree Service – Receives Safety Award for 16 years Without a Lost-Time Accident."

Finally, TCIA and a number of Alliance Program participants supported 2008 NAOSH Week, May 4-10. In addition, TCIA representatives are sharing their expertise with OSHA through participation on the editorial board for the OSHA Tree Care Industry Safety and Health Topics page.
Alliance Program Reach

Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
OSHA and TCIA Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site	2,137
TCIA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the TCIA Web site	Data Not Available
OSHA Tree Care Industry Safety and Health Topics Page	10,143
October 2008 – "Safety Training Materials from OSHA," Tree Care Industry Magazine	Data Not Available
September 2008 – "Alliance Program Participant Developed Products," Alliance Quarterly Review	145
August 21, 2008 – Certified Treecare Safety Professional Workshop, San Jose, California Speaker: Peter Gerstenberger, Vice President, TCIA, presented an "Alliance Update."	16
July 25, 2008 – Certified Treecare Safety Professional Workshop, St. Louis, Missouri Speaker: Peter Gerstenberger, Vice President, TCIA, presented an "Alliance Update."	24
June 12, 2008 – Certified Treecare Safety Professional Workshop, Cherry Hill, New Jersey Speaker: Peter Gerstenberger, Vice President, TCIA, presented an "Alliance Update."	13
June 5, 2008 – Certified Treecare Safety Professional Workshop, Charlotte, North Carolina Speaker: Peter Gerstenberger, Vice President, TCIA, presented an "Alliance Update."	8
June 2008 – "Company goes 16 years with-out recordable accident," Alliance Quarterly Review	145
Total	12,631

Upcoming Milestones

In the upcoming year, OSHA and TCIA will be renewing the Alliance agreement for another two years. The OSHA and TCIA Implementation Team are planning to undertake several activities and projects through the Alliance to help employers reduce and prevent exposures to safety issues related to tree removal and electrical, falls, and struck-by hazards. For example, through the Alliance, OSHA and TCIA will draft and finalize the following quick cards and fact sheets:
- Personal Protective Equipment for the Tree Care Industry
- Work Zone Clear Area (Drop Zone) for Tree Trimming Operations
As part of the Alliance's outreach efforts, TCIA will continue to work on identifying members on which success stories can be based. In addition, TCIA representatives will be joining with other Alliance Program participants to support 2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 3-9, 2009. TCIA representatives also will continue to provide OSHA their expertise in serving on the editorial boards of the Tree Care Industry Safety and Health Topics page.

Finally, OSHA personnel will staff an OSHA and TCIA Alliance exhibit booth at the TCI EXPO, November 5-7, 2009, in Baltimore, Maryland, to distribute OSHA compliance assistance materials and to answer attendees' questions.